Once a dominant force, West Bengal's Congress party has seen its influence dwindle significantly over five decades. From landslide victories to being overshadowed by communist rule and then Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress, the party now struggles for relevance.

A Times of India Production | NCPA, Mumbai | March 2026

Most want the war to end quickly, and opposition has hardened since it began, posing political dangers for the president and his party as the midterms approach.

The partial shutdown is the longest in history, so far.

A blistering attack has been launched against NICO General Insurance Company Limited by prominent lawyer and Member of Parliament George Kadzipatike—and it is as damning as it is revealing. Kadzipatike, a seasoned legal mind whose words carry both professional and political weight, has publicly accused the insurance giant of gross customer neglect, deceptive client acquisition […] The post MP and Top Lawyer Kadzipatike Accuses NICO of Collecting Premiums Then Dodging Payouts, Forcing Clients into Years of Court Battles appeared first on Malawi Nyasa Times - News from Malawi about Malawi.

Malawian artist Gwamba has shared an emotional and heartfelt farewell as he officially parts ways with global betting company Betway after two successful years of partnership. In a message filled with gratitude, reflection, and quiet pride, Gwamba described the end of the relationship not as a fallout—but as a thoughtful, personal decision made well in […] The post ‘Ndimagona Mkati, Ndikagona Panja Ndipa Billboard’: Gwamba Bids Emotional Farewell to Betway After Two-Year Journey appeared first on Malawi Nyasa Times - News from Malawi about Malawi.

Malawi is no longer debating theory; it is confronting lived economic reality. Every rise in fuel, every squeeze in wages, every adjustment in tax policy translates directly into pressure on households already operating at the edge of affordability. At the centre of this pressure lies a deeper question of governance: what kind of leadership philosophy […] The post ANALYSIS | Two Leadership Philosophies, One Struggling Nation: Malawi Must Decide Between Fiscal Hardline Discipline and Protective Economic Relief appeared first on Malawi Nyasa Times - News from Malawi about Malawi.

[allAfrica] Geneva -- More than 9 million people remain internally displaced in Sudan, and while around 3.8 million people have begun returning home, displacement continues in areas such as Darfur, Kordofan, and Blue Nile states, the United Nations said on Tuesday.

[allAfrica] Dr Augustino Hellar's journey into surgery was shaped by his upbringing in Tanzania, where access to healthcare was often limited. He recalls how long distances to health facilities were a common barrier.

[allAfrica] The email arrived quietly, almost like any other assignment, until I read the words «launch» and «surgical programme», and realised this would be more than just another reporting trip. It was an invitation to witness a milestone. A third remodelled surgical spoke was being launched in Rwanda, this time in Kibungo.

Human error led to a theft case at the Freysnes roadside shop in Skaftafell on Sunday not being properly registered in the police system.

Punggol's first self-driving shuttles made their public debut on Wednesday (April 1), said service operator Grab.The shuttles — called Autonomously Intelligent Ride (Ai.R) — ply two of three planned routes around the neighbourhood: Route 1 connects Punggol West and East, while route 3 links Punggol West and North.Online reservations for both shuttle routes opened on March 25, and the rides are free of charge until Grab begins commercial service in the middle of 2026.«Grab is delighted to be bringing the first autonomous vehicle service in a residential area in Singapore to the public,» the super app said on Wednesday.«This service...is about building a future where technology and the community move forward together.»The fleet of 11 autonomous shuttles operated by Grab are developed by Chinese autonomous vehicle company WeRide. 10 of the vehicles are five-seaters, while one can accommodate up to eight passengers.The shuttles underwent months of testing and collectively travelled more than 30,000km without incident before service officially opened to the public, Grab added.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a strong attack on Congress in Assam, dubbing Rahul Gandhi a «Rajkumar» and predicting electoral defeats. He expressed confidence in the BJP-led NDA securing a «hattrick» in the state, highlighting development under Sarbananda Sonowal and Himanta Biswa Sarma. PM Modi also promised a Uniform Civil Code and positioned Assam as a future tech hub.

Congress has opposed a bill to increase Lok Sabha seats by 50%, arguing it disadvantages southern, northeastern, and western states. The party claims the proposal, which would significantly boost representation for northern states, is deceptive and could be a 'weapon of mass diversion' from government failures.

Nearly 27 lakh electricity workers are set to strike nationwide against the proposed Electricity (Amendment) Bill, 2025. The bill aims to introduce competition by allowing multiple distributors in one area, but faces opposition from workers, farmers, and unions concerned about privatization, job losses, and potential tariff hikes.

In a post on X, the chief minister emphasised the progress of Uttar Pradesh towards the goal of 'Zero Waste to Zero Carbon Emissions', crediting the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi for steering the state toward smart and environmentally conscious urbanisation.

Commenting on reports that a Russian tanker carrying oil has arrived in Cuba, Sergey Ryabkov described the developments as «a victory of common sense»

The US and UK provide such information to Ukraine for strikes on Russian civilian infrastructure, Andrey Rudenko noted

The volume of foreign currency sales on the domestic market with settlements on March 30 also amounted to $56.95 mln

According to the CENTCOM spokesperson, US forces did not launch any strikes at any time into the city of Lamerd or anywhere within 30 miles during the opening day of a military operation against Iran

As for issues, the Kiev regime has had and continues to have many, with more to come in the future, Mikhail Galuzin noted

Commissioner Dombrovskis has been invited to an Economic Dialogue, following the 15 December 2025 Economic Dialogue on the launch of the 2026 European Semester Cycle, which covered the key elements of the Commission’s package, including the Macroeconomic Imbalances Procedure, the Joint Employment Report, the Euro Area policy recommendations and ongoing efforts to strengthen the EU’s global competitiveness. This briefing first takes stock of the latest economic developments, including the impact of the conflict in the Middle East, notably through higher energy prices and their implications for the EU economy. It then provides an update on recent developments on EU fiscal surveillance, focusing on the state of play and implementation of the medium-term fiscal-structural plans (MTFSPs), draft budgetary plans for 2026, and the broader implementation of the revised economic governance framework. Finally, it covers latest developments related to the simplification package, forthcoming changes to the methodology of Country-Specific Recommendations (CSRs), and key findings from the Debt Sustainability Monitor. Source : © European Union, 2026 - EP

Access to affordable, adequate and energy-efficient housing has become one of the EU's most pressing socio-economic challenges. Rising house prices and rents, limited affordable supply and regional disparities have intensified housing insecurity, especially for low-income households and young people. Although housing policy remains primarily a national competence, it has gained prominence on the EU agenda in response to concerns about affordability, social exclusion and energy poverty. In December 2025, the European Commission published an affordable housing plan aimed at boosting housing supply, mobilising investment, simplifying permits, and targeting young people and the homeless to facilitate access to affordable housing. Additionally, the Commission provides guidance to Member States on housing issues through the European Pillar of Social Rights and the European Semester. The Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF), the main instrument of Next Generation EU, plays a significant role in supporting housing-related reforms and investments through Member States' national recovery and resilience plans (NRRPs); it supports 50 housing-related investments and 21 reforms. Housing-related investments are also supported by traditional EU funding instruments under the multiannual financial framework (MFF), including cohesion policy funds and InvestEU. The NRRPs cover a wide range of relevant investment and reform measures, including areas such as social and affordable housing supply, energy renovation, urban regeneration and regulatory reforms. An analysis of the 10 plans with the largest share of measures supporting affordability and availability of housing show the different approaches Member States have taken within the RRF framework. The European Parliament has called for access to decent and affordable housing to be recognised as a fundamental right and put forward a set of recommendations prepared by its Special Committee on the Housing Crisis. Overall, the EU's evolving approach aims to enhance coordination between Member States, increase funding mobilisation and provide clearer policy guidance to tackle the housing crisis. Source : © European Union, 2026 - EP

Air raid sirens were sounded four times this morning, including in Tel Aviv and adjacent areas

The institute is also working on a visual-inertial navigation system for search drones, capable of mapping terrain and detecting people in real time

The Yemeni rebels said the attack achieved its objectives and was conducted jointly with Iran and the Lebanese Shiite movement Hezbollah

The An-26 military transport aircraft crashed into a cliff

According to Mikhail Galuzin, the United States and the European Union are pressuring Russia’s Central Asian partners to join illegal anti-Russian sanctions, which Moscow «simply does not recognize»

WESTERN BUREAU: Pastor Mary Wildish turned her church into a war room. Tamika Williams opened her home as a lifeline for battered communities. And five months’ pregnant Tiffany Grant introduced ‘Sunday dinner’ to hurricane victims determined to hold on to their dignity. They were among seven honorees from western Jamaica recognised on Sunday as Jamaican Women of Resilience by the Women of Western Jamaica (WOWJa) during a brunch hosted by S Hotel Montego Bay and Sagicor Group.

WESTERN BUREAU: A major clean-up operation at the mouth of the South Gully is bringing renewed focus to proper waste disposal and regular drainage maintenance as Montego Bay prepares for the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season. The work is being carried out by the National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA) under the second phase of a national debris management programme introduced after the destruction caused by Hurricane Melissa.

A police sergeant, who has been freed of drug-related charges, previously filed multiple complaints internally about sexual harassment by high-ranking police officers and victimisation, her attorney has disclosed. Marcus Goffe, the lawyer representing Sergeant Tamica Taylor, said he believes the complaints fuelled “this escalation of the case”, culminating with the criminal charges filed against his client and her fiancé, Rayon Harris.

The leadership of Jamaica College was meeting up to late last night to deliberate on a violent incident involving students at the Old Hope Road, St Andrew-based institution. The episode left one boy seriously injured and his mother facing medical bills already exceeding a quarter million dollars and still rising.

Taxpayers will have to dig deeper into their pockets to cover the Customs fees waived by the University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI) when it applied its tax-exemption status to import goods on behalf of at least four private companies. Acting chief executive officer of the UHWI, Eric Hosin, told members of Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on Tuesday that the Jamaica Customs Agency (JCA) had made it clear that it was the hospital that would have to cover the unpaid taxes and penalties as it had no arrangements with the private companies who benefited.